"Maura? Sweetie, where are you?" Jane called out, unlocking the door with one hand. She was kind of concerned about today. Though she probably shouldn't have been; Maura didn't remember this day, even if she did as clearly as if it was yesterday. She turned on the light to the kitchen, Jo Friday raising her head at the disturbance to her nap. She saw a note taped to the counter, and moved over to the island in order to read it.
"Had to run to the store for desert; I'll be back roughly fifteen minutes or so after you've read this. ~Maura." Jane smiled, checking on the food for both Bass and Jo, finding them fed already. She strode upstairs, disappearing into the bathroom, towel in hand. She had just stepped out of the shower, toweling her hair, when her phone began to buzz. Reaching for the piece of technology, she picked up.
"Rizzoli." It was Frost on the other line, and he sounded slightly upset.
"We've got a call, Jane." She sighed; Maura wouldn't be happy with this.
"Where are we going?" And it was nearly dark out, too. This was going to suck. They were supposed to be discussing their wedding this evening; the date, the venue. The guest list. Maura and she had agreed on the strangest set up; the doctor would figure out the venue, while Jane did the guest list. And then Jane would give the names to her mother, who would then fill out the invitations after receiving the location and date from Maura. The blonde knew who was coming, but Jane still wasn't sure where or when they were even signing that damn piece of paper and making it official.
"That park off of ninety- three." Jane groaned.
"You're kidding right? Maura loves that place. Has she been called yet? She said she was out shopping, so I'll call her if you guys haven't."
"No, we already notified Doctor Isles. Oh and Jane. Wear your blues." The detective turned an icy, unbelieving glare to her phone, ready to toss it.
"You're kidding- it was one of ours? No fucking way. Alright. Let me get dressed really quick, and I'll be there as soon as I can." She turned to Maura's closet, finding the blue uniform almost immediately and pulling it down. She knew she should have pulled her hair up, but there wasn't that kind of time. Jane glanced at the date again, sighing. The twenty- first of January. She decided this was definitely her least favorite day of the year, every year. She was stepping out into her car only a few moments later, and speeding off down a road that she knew extremely well. Stepping out, she took a deep breath, prepared to find the worst when she got down the path to the crime scene. Frankie waved to her beside some usual crime- scene tape, and she walked over to meet him. "Where are Frost and the others?" She asked, expecting to have to flash her badge everywhere like usual.
"Over by the body already." Her little brother told her, his own blues all crisp and formal, his posture all but perfect. "I was told I would be the one to wait for you out here. He waved to the trees, the nearly- silent landscape. "Hard to imagine something horrible could happen here, isn't it." Jane nodded.
"Yea, it is. But I guess shit just happens, you know? So, lets go get this over with." She paused, before looping her arm through Frankie's. "Did we know him?"
"Yea. We did. You'll see." The officer stated. Jane sighed, frustrated with the prospect of another murder so soon after being shot in the thigh and having to deal with all the crap that had piled up from her undercover heists in the slave trading world.
"Did ma' hear back from Maura's parents yet? Sorry, that was random." She couldn't help it, she had so many questions, about everything. And not quite as many answers as she would have preferred. Frankie nodded, pursing her lips.
"Hope Martin is still kind of angry at her, not to mention currently stationed in Africa. Same goes for the Isles'- they're both in Germany on the date that Maura chose. And who knows what the Hell Paddy Doyle is doing, we sure as Hell don't. Ma said you set one with no address too, and just a first name." Jane nodded, turning down a different path.
"Yea, he was a friend of mine and Maura's. Figured, if he could make it, then... Oh God." The grin that blossomed across Frankie's face was as priceless as the look on Jane's. She turned, smacking him in the shoulder. "What the Hell?!"
"Come on, Jane. You should at least be over there when she shows up." Frankie stated, tugging on his sister's arm.
"No way. i am so not prepared for this. No way." Jane whispered, stepping forward regardless. Her mother was already in tears; standing beside her father on the side of the path. A shaded man stood across from them, and nodded his
"Hey, I know you wrote your vows already; you made me read them. You'll be fine. What would Maura say? Do your gum- shoe thing."
"Frankie. Frankie!" Her brother grinned, taking a spot beside her parents. Maura should of at least warned her; not given her this awesome call that there was a murder in the park, and had to dress in her blues, and she had assumed it had been a murder of an officer. Hell, she had assumed. This woman was going to kill her. At least she would die happily she supposed. But why a wedding at night? And why in the middle of January? It was relatively cold, to be completely honest. When she heard the start of a very nontraditional wedding march, everything else left the detective's brain. The justice of the peace beside her gave her a nod, Nat's smile widening from her spot across from Frankie, where the maid of honor would have been standing. Then she caught her first glimpse of Maura, and it was all she could do just to stay standing. Korsak had his arm looped through hers, and he looked absolutely stunning in his blues; yet he paled in comparison to the woman. The dress seemed to be an off- white at first glance, but when scrutinized closely, was actually a pure white with gold detailing in lace- like patterns throughout the entire gown. It was more of a Victorian style gown, something that Maura had said she had wanted awhile back, with a fitted upper portion before it flared out in a gentle slope around the blonde's hips, before it touched the ground. And the train was nothing short of fifteen feet, though it wasn't the full twenty that Maura had expressed her desire for. Jane swallowed, watching her girlfriend walk towards down the aisle, towards her. Her hair was curlier than usual, and she had the front pulled back into a head piece that was offset to her right side, with a few of her bangs falling from the partial up- do that seemed to be a variation of a reverse french braid, Maura's hair flaring out in a similar fashion to a halo; veil following every flicker of reflected candlelight. Jane swallowed again, unbelieving as the two of them stopped just before the slightly raised altar- like construction that Jane was standing upon.
"Who gives this woman on this twenty- first of January?" Korsak nodded, smiling broadly.
"I do; Vince Korsak, Homicide Sergeant detective, in place of her father." Maura leaned over, placing a quick kiss to his cheek before she stepped up across from Jane. Korsak took his spot in the people lining the aisle; right between Cavanaugh and Frost. The justice spoke for a few moments, while Jane was simply lost in the hazel eyes that had locked immediately on to hers. She really was amazing; she was everything, and then more than that.
"...And now, shall read their vows." Maura smiled, as Frankie rested one of hands on Jane's arm, handing her the piece of old- looking parchment that Maura had made her type her vows on, when they had a slow day at work. Also known as, the day after she got shot in the thigh. Jane looked down at her own words, and suddenly they didn't seem quite like enough, they didn't cover everything.
"Well, looking at these now, I don't feel like I did Maura any justice." She began with. The blonde's smile widened, and she could see Nat cover her own smile with her hand. "I really... I really don't know much to say; originally, I was going to touch on how I never would have thought to be standing here today, with this wonderful woman by my side. I couldn't possibly imagine a world where we weren't together. That alone, especially now, just is not enough. Or as you would say Maura, it is scientifically inaccurate and bordering on frivolous, even. Now, I really don't know what else to say, other than Maura, you're amazing, and I love you. More than anyone could possibly imagine." There was a cheer, when Frankie took the paper back from her, stepping down from the platform. Nat stepped up, holding a similar paper out to Maura.
"Before I read this, I just want to thank everyone for coming here at such short notice. I know I rushed everything, but it just means so much to me that you all helped me to make this a reality." She turned her eyes to Jane, before unfolding the paper. "I was never one to believe in wishes. I put all of my faith into scientific inquiry and fact. Up until only a couple weeks ago, I hadn't found the reason to make a wish; and then I came here." She paused. "Exactly one year ago, on this day, I was taken from all of you; my friends, my family." A tissue found its way into Jane's hand, and she dabbed at her eyes as she listened. "I didn't remember who I was, that i had everything I could have ever wanted, could have ever needed, searching everywhere they could, just to find me. Jane, you promised me you would protect me, that nothing would ever happen to me. You may frustrate the Hell out of me sometimes, but I love you, and I will always love you."There wasn't a dry eye, unless the taller man with shades hadn't started crying, and even that was unlikely.
"There are many symbols to a marriage, and many more symbols to the rest of the universal region." The justice continued. "One of the most well known customs is that of the wedding bands normally shared by married couples. However, a less well- known custom, though it may not be generally combined with a marriage ceremony, is that of an Emu. When a person makes a wish on the shrine to the Gods, it is said that help shall be granted to those in need. In Boston, we've always done some things a little differently, haven't we?" There was a chuckle and Frankie approached with an envelope, and a white gold, inscribed ring. "Here today, we bring two wishes down from the tree's all- knowing branches, and combine them into one, as we bind two souls in legal matrimony. Jane, if you would begin." She looked at Frankie, who nodded encouragingly.
"Alright, well, last year, I made a wish on the tree. I didn't put much stock in asking for help either, however, if it would help at all, I would have done anything." She unfolded the envelope, looking at the slightly blotched ink, smudged from tears. "I wished for Maura to come home, that I could find her and bring her home, at all costs. That we would be together forever, and nothing would ever break us apart ever again." She held out her hand, and Maura slid her left one into it. "I've asked you countless times if you would marry me, and your answer has always been the same."
"Maura Isles, with this ring, you are accepting that you will stand by Jane's side, through sickness, in health, and after being shot; until death does you part. Do you accept these conditions?"
"I do." She breathed out, as Nat stepped forward, holding out an identical envelope, which Maura took, unfolding. "I wrote this wish, my only one that I consciously remember, under a completely different name, with a different memory, and a nearly identical mind set as I have at this particular moment." She paused, shaking her head. "So I would hope that it still applies." There was another light ripple of laughter, before she read what was written there. "I wished that I could make all of the pain that had been reflecting in Jane's eyes to disappear- that I could heal the hurt that had made its home there." Jane squeezed her hand briefly, before Maura nodded.
"Do you, Jane Rizzoli, accept the fact that you are binding yourself to be beside Maura through sickness and in health, until death does you part?"
"I do. I wouldn't rather be anywhere else." He held out a candle, and they took it, placing the two envelopes in a small boat, before placing the candle on top, at the edge of the small pond behind the tree.
"With the lighting of this candle, you accept that your wishes have been fulfilled, and that yes, this day, this moment, really did happen." Maura nodded, and Jane struck a match, lighting the flickering wick with one hand. Together, they released it. There was a moment where everything was silent, and they shared their own moment; a reflection on everything that had happened. "You may now kiss, as everyone is holding their breath in anticipation for." Jane smirked, pulling Maura into her, sharing that moment that even they had been waiting their entire lives for. When they broke apart to breath, it was with laughter playing at their lips, and cheering all around them. Maura smiled, lacing her fingers with Jane's as they turned towards the impromptu aisle way, stepping out between the lines of people that had just as much happiness radiating from their features as the two women did. This moment alone made the last year of their lives worth every moment of agony. To kill the odds, and make it out together.
AN- Okay, so here it is everyone! My nice, ending bow with sparkles. I know I should have had the Isles' show up for the wedding, but I don't know, it just didn't work. And it was kind of short notice. And I know I definitely should have had Paddy Doyle there, but i watched season two, right? And there's that phone call where Paddy tells Jane to protect Maura... Well, I think "missing for a year and being sold as a sex slave" wouldn't exactly make him chipper, if you know what I mean. So yea. Korsak. Because I forgot Cavanaugh existed until I'd already written it as Korsak. And guess who likes Korsak more than Cavanaugh? Mmm-hmmm. Yep.
I also got the Emu idea, actually the whole wedding idea, from a wedding that I recently was a part of. It was my neighbor's wedding, and they're graphic designers, and they are just AWESOME. So they had the sharing of the sands ceremony, and I just... It was sooooo beautiful. I couldn't help it. When I had written "The Emu Tree" I figured I would tie that in to Maura and Jane's wedding. I tried to remember the majority of the wording their priest used too, because he was pretty awesome, but I did not do him justice at all. Sorry 'bout that.
Also, follow me on tumblr guys, I started my account literally like, two hours ago. Follow me at "LittleMissGoldie". Right now, I really just have a whole bunch of Rizzoli and Isles pause- screen fails on there, from season two... Nothing much. But hey, two hours. :P Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my story, tell me what you think, and check out some of my other stuff!
~SnapTobiume
PS- So my 'A' key had been broken for like, the past eight chapters. And I fixed it for this one. By shoving a hair clip underneath it and unwedging whatever had gotten stuck there (not even sure what it was...) Way to be a pro, right?